


Sunny Days

by Fai_Gensou



Category: Akatsuki no Yona | Yona of the Dawn
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-04
Updated: 2019-02-20
Packaged: 2019-04-18 09:45:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14210412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fai_Gensou/pseuds/Fai_Gensou
Summary: Through absolutely no effort on his part, Zeno becomes caretaker to a toddler Yona.





	1. Chapter 1

Two and a half year old Yona was determined.

She had felt Zeno-ou-chan nearly all of her life, but she hadn’t been able to get to him. Nor had he come to her.

But Nurse had fallen asleep with the heat, and Mama and Papa were elsewhere.

With the door open to try and catch a hint of breeze, she slipped out into the hallway. Frowning, she looked to either side, before going right, where he felt strongest. She walked with her hands pressed to her mouth, to stop the giggles that had foiled previous attempts.

The sticky heat meant the normally busy hallways were empty. The guards were too miserable and sleepy to pay much attention to anything.

Let alone to the King’s favorite grandchild wandering unattended.

Three detours from her straight path later, she carefully descended the steps into the kitchen courtyard. Her Zeno-ou-chan was under a limp-looking tree, peeling apples. She didn’t see the glint of the pendant, and she frowned. Edging closer, she could pick out the beads of the necklace, and remembered that it was likely too valuable-looking to wear openly.

He looked a little happier, and she beamed as she ran to him. “FOUND YOU!!!”

Zeno, who had been a little zoned out from the monotony of his task and the heat, jumped as a small body latched onto his side. Managing to not cut himself, he set the knife and the apple down, and turned to his attachment.

It was a small toddler girl, gleaming crimson hair meant it could only be Hiryuu-ou’s reincarnation. “Yona found Zeno-ou-chan!” She cheered, climbing into his lap.

“How’d you get over here? Where’s your nurse?” He asked, baffled.

Various royal family members were not above coming directly to the kitchens for a snack, but he knew she had never been here, except as a newborn.

“Nurse sleepy. Walked to find Zeno-ou-chan.” She crossed her arms and tried to imitate her grandfather’s stern look, but only managed adorable as she continued. “Bad Zeno, making Yona look for you.”

“…sorry?” Balancing her on his hip, he stood. “Don’t you think you should go back and apologize to Nurse for wandering off? Z-I’m sure you were meant to be napping too.”

“Only if Zeno comes and stays with Yona.” She asserted stubbornly.

“I’m not going to win this, am I?” Sighing, Zeno began walking to the family quarters.

* * *

It wasn’t long before Zeno ran into one of the guards. “I think you might be looking for this.” He greeted the guard, Kim, who was looking frantic.

“How’d she get all the way to the kitchens without anyone seeing her?” Kim wondered.

He reached out to take Yona from Zeno, and she just clung on tighter. Glaring, she said, “Yona’s Zeno.”

“And she’s very attached to me for some reason.” Zeno added with a sweatdrop.

“Is reason! Zeno is ou-chan!” She insisted, frowning as Zeno and Kim bit back smiles.

* * *

There was mass chaos in the family quarter courtyard, with all living members of the royal family present, plus a rather tearful and panicking Nurse. “I only closed my eyes for a moment!” She swore.

Ju-nam was about to yell (again) at her, when Kim escorted Zeno and Yona in. “Your Majesty, she somehow found her way into the kitchens.” Kim explained with a bow.

Zeno also bowed as best as he could with Yona doing a very good imitation of a monkey on his torso. “Jii-heika! Yona found Zeno-ou-chan!” She exclaimed. “Ah, she has also decided to lay claim to Zeno, one of the kitchen workers.” Kim continued.

“Well your fun’s over; let the man get back to work.” Yuhon scolded as he approached to take Yona from Zeno.

Zeno couldn’t help tensing, tightening his grip on Yona as she did the same. Something didn’t sit right with him about Prince Yuhon; it never had, the rare occasion he had come to the kitchens, but that feeling was increased. “Really, brother-in-law, you scare Yona enough on a normal day.” Her mother chided, nearly pushing Yuhon to the side as she stepped in front of him, and placing herself between Yuhon and Yona. “Will you come to Mama?” She asked.

“Can Zeno stay with Yona?” She asked with a pout. “Don’t wanna lose Zeno again.”

“How long have you worked in the kitchens?” Yuhon asked suspiciously.

“Just over a year now, Your Highness.” Zeno answered, somehow remembering to be respectful. “Before that I had mostly wandered, after my village burned and my wife died.”

“You seem to be a little…young…to have been married.” Much as something had set Zeno on edge about Yuhon, something made Yuhon suspicious about Zeno.

“She was dying. We…didn’t have very long, not even a year, Your Highness. Afterwards it was too painful to stay, and with nothing to hold me to the area…” Zeno somehow managed a shrug, as Yona was still determined to stay attached to him.

“Really Yuhon, you do need to stop being suspicious of everyone.” Ju-nam scolded.

He joined his daughter-in-law in trying to detach Yona from Zeno. “May I borrow Zeno for a bit?”

Frowning, Yona finally nodded sharply, letting her mother take her.

Crisis over, everyone returned to their previous tasks and amusements as Zeno followed Ju-nam into a side room. After closing the door behind them, Ju-nam spoke. “So what the priests have been saying about Yona must be true, given your presence here, Ouryuu-sama.”

Zeno couldn’t help being startled. “How…?”

“Like I could forget the blond-haired man who shielded me nearly fifty years ago, swords and arrows shattering on golden scales.” Ju-nam remarked.

“…it’s been hard, to stay away, even if I had never sought her out. Her coming to me was not something I anticipated.” Zeno revealed.

“She’s been talking about ‘Zeno-ou-chan’ for nearly as long as she could talk. Her going in search of you is nothing new; this is just the first time she has gotten away unnoticed.” Ju-nam told him. “So will you stay? As her minder?”

“…I suppose I don’t really have a chance. She’ll just keep escaping to find me if I don’t.” Zeno conceded.

Opening the door, Yona was standing outside of it, latching onto Zeno’s leg. “Zeno stay with Yona?” She asked.

“Yes.” Ju-nam assured her, making her beam.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone hadn’t noticed, Yona and Zeno interaction, especially with her as a child, constantly fuels my imagination. Mostly since it implies a sense of Hiryuu we don’t get in the series.
> 
> 'Jii' is from 'ojii-san' meaning grandfather, and 'heika' means 'your majesty'. So Yona is calling Ju-nam 'your majesty grandpa'


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Childcare is both easier and harder than Zeno thought it was.

Looking after Yona turned out to be both easier and harder than Zeno expected.

Easier, since she would listen to him, like when he would call her away from playing in the courtyard or eating foods she didn’t necessarily like.

Harder, because she did not want to let him out of her sight. “Little Miss, you can’t go into the toilet with me, and I can’t leave the door open either.” Zeno explained yet again.

Yona pouted, but thankfully her mother, Lady Kashi Cheonsa, came over and distracted her long enough for him to take care of business. “I’m not going to leave.” He assured her when he re-emerged, latching onto his leg.

“It’s no use; privacy is something I’ve given up on, at least until she’s older.” Cheonsa told him with amusement. “I guess, having decided you were who she was looking for and having found you, she doesn’t want to lose you again.”

“Maybe…” As Yona was weaned, her old nurse had been dismissed from looking after her. “I’m more amazed she listens to me, barring when I’m trying to bathe or use the toilet.” He admitted as she returned to playing with her soft, plush dolls.

“Zeno is Yona’s Shield.” She declared, only tripping a little over the last, unfamiliar word. “Zeno says to do something, it’s to keep Yona safe. Even if it means eating yucky greens.” She made a face at the end.

“Who told you that, little dove?” Cheonsa asked.

“The red fire man. He talks about a bunch of stuff at night, but it’s weird stuff, with Shields and Dragons and Warriors.”

Zeno blinked, avoiding Cheonsa’s curious look towards him with Yona’s latest statement.

* * *

Zeno wasn’t sure how he ended up stuck under a sleeping Yona tonight. She had wanted a ‘Zeno story’, so somehow he managed to tell of his time as a bandit who only went after rich people without any grizzly details. She had crawled into his lap at one point, and was now doing her monkey impression. “Although, I think a better word is ‘octopus.’” He said to himself, taking in how she was using her limbs to cling to every part of him she could reach.

Lady Cheonsa and Lord Il had left him to try and escape by himself, the traitors. _Though, it’s not that bad; after so long of not feeling his presence…it’s like being cold for so long, you don’t realize you were cold until you’re warm again…_

Zeno yawned. Yuhon left on another campaign, so Yon-hi, his wife, would be bringing their son Su-won to play with Yona. _I hope the boy isn’t like his father. The terror Yona seems to feel of him doesn’t seem natural…_

* * *

Zeno felt himself slowly waking up. Yona was still clinging to him, but it didn’t feel like hardwood floor beneath them, and it felt like his head was in someone’s lap… Opening his eyes, he was greeted by lavender eyes, framed with crimson hair and set in a painfully familiar face. “Ou-sama…” Zeno whispered, licking his lips.

Hiryuu-ou smiled sadly. “I didn’t realize how much my feelings of worry and concern for you affected Yona. I know you probably didn’t want to be at her side until you were sure of her intentions.” He said, running a hand over Yona’s hair.

“Why come back now?” Zeno asked, dodging Hiryuu-ou’s second sentence.

“I missed you; watching from Heaven wasn’t the same. And I wanted to meet their descendants.” Hiryuu-ou explained.

There was no need to say who he meant.

“If I had realized what my brothers had been planning, when they gave all of you the dragon’s blood…” Hiryuu-ou trailed off, looking off in the distance. “Will you stay with her? Even between when she needs someone to look after her and when the time comes to bring the Four Dragon Warriors together again? I understand, if you don’t want to…”

Zeno was quiet. “…it’d be rather rude, to leave her alone when you came back because you missed me.” He finally answered. “I would likely be shadowing her anyway until that day, so I might as well stay at her side.”

“Thank you.” Hiryuu-ou said. “Oh, I have a message for you.”

“A message? From who?” Zeno couldn’t really think of who would have a message from him aside from his brothers. The memories of his parents had long faded away, and he didn’t think that she would…

“’Just as Zeno is good at waiting, so is Kaya. Kaya will wait with Zeno’s brothers, for she can do no less, after Zeno stayed with her until she was bones.’” Hiryuu-ou gave the message, smiling at the dumbfounded look on Zeno’s face.

* * *

Zeno woke up when he felt a small hand on his cheek. Opening his eyes, he saw Yona, brushing away the tears that had started falling upon hearing Kaya’s message. “Zeno no cry. Or Yona and Kaya cry too.” She told him seriously, giving him a watery-eyed look.

He felt a laugh bubble. “Zeon will smile then, so Yona and Kaya will smile too.” He agreed, making Yona beam. “Are you eager to play with Su-won?” He asked, sitting up in prequel to standing and getting ready for the day.

She nodded fiercely. “Won fun! Not scary like Uncle! And pretty like Mama.” She added as an afterthought, looking between the two dresses Zeno held up for her to choose from. The yellow was bright like Zeno, but green made her think of the man who took her flying when she slept.

Darting around Zeno, she latched onto a blue dress that a bird pattern on it. “This one!” The bird the blue man had never complained or pecked her when she accidently got too rough with it.

Zeno smiled when he saw her pick. “I guess you remember Abi…” He remarked quietly, ‘helping’ her dress herself.

* * *

Su-won, Zeno discovered, WAS pretty like a girl. “Can we play hide and seek?” He asked Zeno eagerly. Someone new to play with!

“Zeno look first!” Yona seconded the suggestion.

“Okay, you have until the count of ten…” Zeno closed his eyes in an exaggerated manner and started counting.

Yona would likely be easy to find; she always giggled. Su-won was old enough to not constantly giggle while hiding, so he might be trickier.

“…ten! Here I come!” Zeno opened his eyes to see the children did go and hide. “Now where did they go?” He asked the air as he began his search.

He started by looking in the trees and under the veranda. While Yona hadn’t tried climbing the trees yet, he couldn’t rule that out for Su-won. _Maybe I should have said they couldn’t leave the family quarter…_ He wondered as he spied a purple hem, that looked like the hem on Su-won’s clothes. “Now where did they go…?” He repeated, creeping up to the chest.

Zeno stopped. He could practically hear Su-won trying not to breathe too loud. Waiting, he stuck his head behind the chest as Su-won prepared to peek out and see where Zeno was. “Found you.”

“Were you even trying?” Su-won asked with a pout, not happy at being found first.

“Of course I was. I didn’t know where you would like to hide.” Zeno answered, opening the chest to check that Yona hadn’t climbed in.

The chest had a latch, but he couldn’t rule out Yona working the latch herself, or collaboration between the cousins. Hearing something, Zeno, trailed by Su-won walked quietly towards the corner of the veranda, where the hallway led to the rest of the castle.

Turning the corner, he found Yona petting the stray cat he had been feeding the last few weeks. With a meow, the cat darted down into the outside courtyard. “Wait kitty!” Yona cried, following the cat.

Zeno and Su-won easily followed Yona and the cat, who had led them an old, wooden crate in a shadowy corner by a guard booth. Inside, on scraps of cloth that looked like they came from the sewing offices, were a pile of newborn kittens. “More kitties!” Yona cheered quietly.

“Do you even hide Yona?” Su-won asked, crouching down to look at the kitten pile, who were blindly finding their way to one of their mother’s tits.

A sheepish look crossed her face. “Either way, I found you.” Zeno said as he patted her head, looking in at the kittens himself. “But maybe next time, we stick to the family quarters?” He suggested gently.

She absently nodded, clenching her hands into little fists so she didn’t try reaching for the kitties. “They so little…!” She whispered, nearly squealing. “But how they eat?”

“Their mother feeds them. See how they’re all gathered at her belly?” Zeno gestured to the currently nursing kittens. “She eats meat and fish, and inside her body she makes milk for the kittens to eat. When they’re older, she can start giving them some of her food.”

“Can we feed them?” Su-won asked.

Before Zeno could answer, there were voices, and they sounded like they were saying Zeno’s name. “We’ll have to see, okay?” Zeno told Su-won as he stood, picking up Yona.

“Bye bye kitty!” Yona waved her hands.

Waiting for them in the hallway between the castle and the family quarter with the Ladies Cheonsa and Yon-hi was an elderly man that seemed vaguely familiar, and a boy who looked about Su-won’s age.

Setting Yona down, she ran over to the new kid. He reminded her of the mama kitty, with his dark hair and blue eyes. “There’s kitties!” She cheered, grabbing the boy’s hand and pulling him in the direction of the kitties.

“The local stray has a den of kittens in the corner.” Zeno explained, gesturing to the corner as the boy let himself be dragged by Yona.

The elderly man watched in amazement. “He HATES playing with other kids, and people touching him.” He said.

“This is Zeno, Yona’s new minder, General Mun-dok.” Cheonsa introduced the pair. “Is the boy your grandson?”

Mun-dok nodded as Su-won followed Yona and the boy back to the den. “Yes, adopted. I found him at the end of this past winter, near death. He says his name is Hak, and that ‘bad men’ killed his mother. Though he refused to call me ‘Grandpa’.” He complained.

“Su-won wants to know if we can feed the cat, and her kittens when they’re old enough.” Zeno told the mothers.

“I don’t see any problems with that. Perhaps the mother will be amiable to letting us move her den.” Cheonsa agreed, Yon-hi nodding.

Hak just blinked at the cat feeding the kittens. “You look like kitty!” The crimson girl said.

“Because his hair and eyes are the same color?” The boy? questioned, and the crimson girl nodded. “I’m Su-won, and this is Yona.”

“I’m Hak.” Hak said shortly.

“Hak-kitty!” Yona exclaimed.

“I’m not a cat!” Hak protested hotly.

Yona made an expression that was halfway between a frown and a pout. “Yes you are! Hak is scary noise kitty!”

Any protest Hak was making died with this assertion. “’Scary noise kitty’?” He repeated with a confused grimace.

“You mean thunder?” Su-won asked to clarify.

Yona nodded fiercely. “Hak is thunder kitty!”

Opening his mouth, Hak changed his mind about complaining. For some reason, it felt like a really bad thing to make Yona cry, which is what he thought she might do if he continued protesting his nickname.

While most of his attention was on the near miraculous sight of Hak interacting with other children without complaint (or violence), Mun-dok eyed the blond man Lady Cheonsa introduced as Zeno. Ju-nam had shared with him the events of Yona’s trek across the castle to find Ouryuu Zeno, and how this seemed to confirm what the priests had been saying, before Yuhon chased them from the castle and into hiding.

Resolving to question the blond later, Mun-dok excused himself. He hadn’t been completely sure with himself, about introducing Hak to the royal grandchildren, but given the initial interactions, he likely should have introduced Hak sooner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My high school chemistry teacher posted a video once. It’s of her bathroom door…with her twin toddlers on the other side, raising a fuss over not being with Mommy. 
> 
> I’ve rather attached to my fan name for Yona’s mother, so her canon name, ‘Kashi’, is her clan name.
> 
> A little short, but I’m making this up as I go.


	3. Chapter 3

Thankfully, the mother cat didn’t mind moving her den and her kittens. By evening, she and her six kittens were installed beneath the porch in the family courtyard, near Yona’s room.

Mun-dok’s grandson Hak let himself be hauled around by Yona and Su-won, seemingly baffled by them. He did twitch every time Yona called him ‘Hak-kitty’, much to the smothered amusement of the mothers and Zeno.

Dinnertime saw the return of Mun-dok, and a defiant Yona who didn’t want her ‘Hak-kitty’ to go. “Hak-kitty stay!” She glared at Mun-dok, sitting on top of Hak like that would stop him.

“Just leave Gramps. I’m fine.” Hak joined in the protest.

“Can’t Hak stay the night, General Mun-dok?” Su-won tossed in his puppy eyes for good measure.

“It seems that you’re outvoted, General.” Ju-nam, thoroughly amused, noted, settling the debate.

Thankfully, Yona let herself be put to bed with Hak and Su-won with a minimum of fuss, even if she did insist on draping herself over the boys.

His evening suddenly free, Zeno found himself bundled into a room with Ju-nam, Mun-dok, and several bottles of sake. As this wasn’t the first time Ju-nam had hauled him along for drinks, Zeno knew this was intended as a casual thing. “So Yona-hime is Hiryuu-ou reborn.” Mun-dok opened without preamble.

“I’m more surprised than I likely should be, at how believing people have been.” Zeno commented.

“Unlike Yuhon-sama, we actually listen to the priests.” Mun-dok remarked. “Why did you let him chase them out, heika-san?”

“I was surprised, when that happened. It’s never happened before.” Zeno commented.

Ju-nam sighed. “Letting him get away with that means it’ll be easier to persuade people to support Il as King.”

Mun-dok choked on his mouthful, coughing. “Il-sama?! King?!” He exclaimed.

Zeno was less shocked. “Because if he inherits, then the little miss can inherit next.” He said. “But I don’t think Yuhon…sama would tolerate that, no matter how he acts in public.

“While I hope I could live to see Yona become a woman, and pass the throne directly to her, I don’t plan on relying on that. Far better to make sure Il will be supported as King.” Ju-nam revealed. “And Yuhon cannot complain when he crows about the absolute supremacy of the sovereign all the time.”

“So, Ouryuu-dono, heir to the founder of Sky, what do you plan to do?” Mun-dok asked Zeno formally.

“Short or long term?” Zeno asked. “Because short-term, my only goal is to use the privy without the little miss throwing a fit. But if Yuhon tries anything, he won’t survive it.” He told Ju-nam seriously.

“What of the others?” Mun-dok asked.

“Hakuryuu and Seiryuu are only a few years older than the little miss, at most. Ryokuryuu is older, close to a teenager by now. But there are issues.” Zeno said with a sigh.

“What kind of issues?” Ju-nam asked.

“I don’t know very much about the dragon villages. But from what I can tell, only Hakuryuu Village has a positive view. But they are also hostile to outsiders. Only another dragon or the little miss could likely approach without getting shot at. I didn’t exactly announce myself when I’ve visited in the past.” Zeno started. “Seiryuu Village…I think they see their warrior as a curse, even as their warrior protects them the best he can. As for Ryokuryuu Village…”

Despite knowing the futility, Zeno grabbed a bottle of sake and downed it in one long sip. Ju-nam and Mun-dok exchanged concerned looks at this. “Are we going to have to carry you to bed?” Mun-dok asked.

Bottle empty, Zeno set it down. “I can’t get drunk. Alcohol counts as a poison, which doesn’t work on me either.”

“Where were you when I was younger and had drinking contests? I could’ve made a fortune!” Mun-dok grumbled.

Ju-nam rolled his eyes as Zeno spoke again. “To keep Ryokuryuu ‘safe’ means staying hidden. Only how do you keep a young person who can leap over trees hidden? Even if you stress the importance of it, there’ll still be slip-ups. So…” Sighing, Zeno switched tack. “When I visited Ryokuryuu Village when the little miss was born, I found a boy chained hand and foot to the wall, with not enough slack to go outside, and his only company day in and day out, aside from insects and rodents, was his predecessor, drowning in alcohol-soaked bitterness with the whole village openly wondering when he’ll finally die so they don’t have to feed him anymore. While he lives, the predecessor is responsible for catching his successor, being the only person who could catch them.”

Ju-nam and Mun-dok just stared, horrified, while Zeno avoided their eyes. “What about when there’s only one Ryokuryuu?” Mun-dok finally asked.

“For most of them, they end up staying, even if they escape, because they can’t conceive of where to go. Most of the time, I’m travelling around, and since I don’t really have power of my own, it’s easier to just let attackers do what they want. It’s not a lifestyle conductive for a child.” Zeno fingered the hem of his tunic. “Even if the little miss could go to him right now, Ryokuryuu would likely see it as trading one set of chains for another. The Dragon Warriors can sense where the others are, so it would be a wild goose chase, trying to pin him down if he’s free to run.”

“I’m too old for this extra shit.” Ju-nam complained, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“I’m surprised at how Yona-hime charmed Hak. I should have brought him around sooner.” Mun-dok commented.

“I’m not. Half of his conquests were just him having a meeting with the local leader and charming them into Kouka. Pretty sure a good number of them were in lust with him, even as a man.” Zeno said. “The power of Hiryuu-ou can be said to be kindness, charisma, and genuine nature.”

“Wait, the way you’re phrasing it makes it sound like you were there. Or I’m starting to get drunk.” Ju-nam pointed out.

“I’m getting drunk too, since that’s what I got out of it too.” Mun-dok agreed.

Smirking, Zeno left Ju-nam and Mun-dok to their drinking.

* * *

Hak became a permanent fixture in the family quarters, as long as Mun-dok was in residence at the castle. He and Su-won became fast friends, even as both boys hovered around Yona and watched her as much as Zeno did.

The kittens were exploring the courtyard on wobbly legs by the time Yuhon returned to the castle. Naturally, he was not pleased, but Yonhi managed to get him to keep his complaints behind doors and away from the ears of the children. With Hak present, she no longer had to wait for him to be out of the castle to let Su-won and Yona play together.

Yona had declared that the mother cat was ‘Zeno’, a decision confirmed by the boys, much to Zeno’s consternation. The kittens were named after colors, by some indescribable logic of Yona’s. The kitten that would join Yona in her bed at night was named Akaki. Su-won’s favorite was Ao. Hak had Midori, while Kii attached himself to Ju-nam like glue, leaving Kuro and Shiro to drift between the various family quarter occupants, although Shiro liked to follow Yuhon and bat at the hem of his cloak.

One day, about a month after the kittens’ move and as the air grew colder, Zeno found Su-won sitting off by myself, clutching a book and Ao. Hak and Mun-dok were back in Fuuga, while Cheonsa had taken Yona with her to her tea with the Fire General’s wife, Iguni. “Are you okay, Su-won-sama?” Zeno asked as he sat down next to him. Yuhon had made it known in no uncertain terms that Zeno wasn’t to address his family informally, and it was easier to remember to do that in public if he did it in private.

Su-won scrubbed his eyes. “Father had seen that the tutor was having me read the birth myth and yelled at him. Then he started going on about how stories of the gods are for weak people who refuse to place trust in the king and the rituals just appease the stupid idiots who think not doing them would bring disaster.” Su-won was still hunched in. “Then he got a notice from Kin Province and he left.”

“So which part bothers you more?” Zeno asked.

“…Grandfather believes in the stories of the gods, and he isn’t weak at all! In the birth myth, the gods don’t really do much, except for the Crimson Dragon God, but he became Hiryuu-ou and human, so it might not count. I guess…he seemed to think that stories of the gods are dangerous, but I don’t get why.” Su-won finally said, petting Ao as he thought it over.

“Hmm…” Zeno hummed, wondering what to say. “Do you think the gods exist?”

“…maybe? I haven’t seen a god, or anything strange, but not seeing something doesn’t mean it’s not there. I know there’s an ocean that I haven’t seen, but it doesn’t stop existing just because I can’t see it.” Su-won answered, very reasonably for a six year old. “And even if the Dragon Warriors didn’t actually drink dragon’s blood and could do everything the birth myth said they could do, they still could have been real people, who did stuff that amazed people so much that they thought the gods helped them, or something. Plus…” His voice dropped into a whisper. “I’ve seen a man with hair like Yona’s. For real, not a sketch.”

“When was this?” Zeno asked quietly.

“One night when I slept over, I woke up for the chamber pot. When I looked at Yona, there was a man kneeling next to her. I could see through him, but his hair looked like Yona’s, bright red like dawn. He went away when I blinked, but I don’t think I imagined him.” Su-won revealed. “But I know Father won’t believe me if I tell him.”

“I think, for now, whether or not the gods exist is up for each person to decide for themselves. But even if they don’t exist, that doesn’t mean that their stories don’t have things to learn.” Zeno said. “Like how Hiryuu-ou didn’t always use the sword to fight people. He also used words, so that shows that words can be as powerful as swords and other weapons.”

“What about when Father comes back? He doesn’t want me reading the birth myth, but I like reading about Hiryuu-ou and the Dragon Warriors.”

“You might have to just read it when he’s not home.” Zeno suggested. “And if Ju-nam-sama wants to hear it read, than Yuhon-sama can’t argue with it.”

He patted Su-won’s head. “In the end, you’re the only one who can decide what you believe in.”

Su-won beamed up at Zeno. “Thanks Zeno! Too bad you look after Yona; you’re a lot more fun to listen to then my tutor!”

“I think you’d have to fight the little miss if you want me to teach you. But we can still talk like this.” Zeno assured him as he stood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, not as light-hearted. But I did satisfy the request for Zeno and Su-won interaction.

**Author's Note:**

> If anyone hadn’t noticed, Yona and Zeno interaction, especially with her as a child, constantly fuels my imagination. Mostly since it implies a sense of Hiryuu we don’t get in the series.
> 
> 'Jii' is from 'ojii-san' meaning grandfather, and 'heika' means 'your majesty'. So Yona is calling Ju-nam 'your majesty grandpa'


End file.
